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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Hacking trial: Coulson guilty, Brooks cleared of charges | Hacking trial: Coulson guilty, Brooks cleared of charges |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has been found guilty of conspiracy to hack phones. | Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has been found guilty of conspiracy to hack phones. |
| Ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks was cleared of all charges in the phone-hacking trial. | Ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks was cleared of all charges in the phone-hacking trial. |
| Coulson went on to become director of communications for David Cameron. The prime minister has now apologised for making the appointment. | Coulson went on to become director of communications for David Cameron. The prime minister has now apologised for making the appointment. |
| Royals, celebrities and victims of crime were among those whose phones were hacked by the News of the World. | Royals, celebrities and victims of crime were among those whose phones were hacked by the News of the World. |
| 'Wrong decision' | 'Wrong decision' |
| Speaking after the verdicts were delivered, Mr Cameron said: "I take full responsibility for employing Andy Coulson. | Speaking after the verdicts were delivered, Mr Cameron said: "I take full responsibility for employing Andy Coulson. |
| "I did so on the basis of undertakings I was given by him about phone hacking and those turn out not to be the case. | "I did so on the basis of undertakings I was given by him about phone hacking and those turn out not to be the case. |
| "I always said that if they turned out to be wrong I would make a full and frank apology and I do that today. | "I always said that if they turned out to be wrong I would make a full and frank apology and I do that today. |
| "I am extremely sorry I employed him. It was the wrong decision and I am clear about that." | "I am extremely sorry I employed him. It was the wrong decision and I am clear about that." |
| The prime minister said he had asked Coulson about phone hacking before offering him a job and "accepted his assurances" that he knew nothing of the practice. | The prime minister said he had asked Coulson about phone hacking before offering him a job and "accepted his assurances" that he knew nothing of the practice. |
| "Knowing what I know now, and knowing that those assurances weren't right, it was obviously wrong to employ him," he added. "I gave someone a second chance. It turned out to be a bad decision." | "Knowing what I know now, and knowing that those assurances weren't right, it was obviously wrong to employ him," he added. "I gave someone a second chance. It turned out to be a bad decision." |
| He added that no complaints had been made about Coulson's work for him. | He added that no complaints had been made about Coulson's work for him. |
| Coulson and Mrs Brooks were among seven defendants on trial at the Old Bailey. | Coulson and Mrs Brooks were among seven defendants on trial at the Old Bailey. |
| The verdicts in full are: | The verdicts in full are: |
| The jury is continuing to consider misconduct in public office charges against Coulson and former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman. | The jury is continuing to consider misconduct in public office charges against Coulson and former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman. |
| An emotional Mrs Brooks had to be taken away by the court matron on hearing the verdicts. | An emotional Mrs Brooks had to be taken away by the court matron on hearing the verdicts. |
| BBC political correspondent Robin Brant was in court as the verdicts were read out on the 138th day of the trial. | BBC political correspondent Robin Brant was in court as the verdicts were read out on the 138th day of the trial. |
| He said Coulson, who was editor of the newspaper from 2003 to 2007, stood with his hands behind his back and showed no emotion as the verdict was returned. | |
| Mrs Brooks appeared to mouth "thank you" to the jury and also held the hand of her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, who looked close to tears. | Mrs Brooks appeared to mouth "thank you" to the jury and also held the hand of her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, who looked close to tears. |
| Charlie Brooks, the husband of the former News International chief executive, also showed little emotion. | Charlie Brooks, the husband of the former News International chief executive, also showed little emotion. |
| There was complete silence in court on the orders of the judge as the verdicts were delivered by the jury forewoman. Some 70 people were present in the room at the time. | |
| 'Near breakdown' | |
| The jury had heard details about high-profile victims of hacking during the trial. | |
| The court was told how schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone was hacked before it was discovered that the 13-year-old, who disappeared in March 2002, had been murdered. | |
| While the hacking may have led to her voicemail messages being deleted, Mr Justice Saunders told the jury that claims that someone from the News of the World deliberately deleted the voicemail messages were "not true". | |
| And former home secretary David Blunkett has told the BBC how revelations about his private life in the Sunday tabloid almost caused him to have a nervous breakdown. | |
| "I came as close as anyone could ever come to having a breakdown without actually having one," he said. | |
| "The honest truth is I don't know how I managed to continue doing the job in the way I did. | |
| "I actually think it probably took me two years to really recover." |